We take another look at the Chicago Bears 2017 draft.
The 2017 NFL Draft is still about two months away. Between now and then, there will be many mock drafts. Those mocks will change as more information comes through. What happens when the free agency period happens greatly affects who the Chicago Bears decide to take. Possible trades also affect what the Bears do.
While none of those things happened (yet), we take a look at the Bears’ draft as it is. They have seven picks in the draft.
There are several areas where the Bears are in needs. They need quarterback, secondary, tight end, offensive line, and wide receiver help. How they fill those needs will go far to determine if they can improve on their awful 3-13 2016 record.
The Bears have an advantage in analyzing this draft class. Head coach John Fox and his assistants coached the North team in this past weekend’s Senior Bowl. They got an up-close and personal look at some of the nation’s top prospects. They got to see how they work and how they play in person. Sometimes it is better to see a guy in the flesh to get a better look at a player. Some things just don’t come through on film or on paper.
One thing you will notice is that I don’t have a quarterback drafted. I feel the team will pick up a veteran this offseason and look at finding their new face of the franchise in next year’s draft. Next year’s class is deeper and more talented, and the Bears will go after one of them.
Let’s take a look at some possible picks with this 2017 Chicago Bears mock draft:
Jonathan Allen, Defensive Lineman, Alabama (6-foot-3, 295 pounds)
I continue to go with Allen with the third pick. The other player I see the Bears choosing otherwise is if Myles Garrett is available. The other scenario I see is the Bears trading down to pick up more picks.
Also, I see the Bears taking Allen unless they find something in his medical records. Fox loves picking up good pass rushers to help rebuild teams, and Allen is that guy. If his medical records show something, then they will avoid him. If that happens, I see Allen dropping down a great deal.
Allen is just a special player. Even after two surgeries, he had another great season for the Crimson Tide. Some speculated that he also had a secretive third surgery, but there is nothing or nobody who can confirm this, so it is a non-factor.
Allen was the best defensive player on one of the best defensive teams in college football history. He won the Chuck Bednarik and the Bronco Nagurski awards as the best defensive player in the nation. He recorded 69 tackles (10 tackles for loss), and he led the team with 10.5 sacks. As he did in 2015, Allen was named to the All-SEC first team.
Allen can play on the outside and the inside. He has the strength to move blockers, and he places his hand in position to control them. He is quick off the snap and has a multitude of moves to get past any blocker.
Allen is effective against both the run and the pass. He is quick to diagnose a play and move accordingly.
Looking at Allen’s film, Allen is clearly the best player at his position than any other was at whatever their position was. If the Heisman Trophy was truly going to the best player in the nation, Allen would be the winner. Lamar Jackson dominated in 2016, but Allen was more dominant.
Until something comes up at the NFL Combine, Allen will be the Chicago Bears’ top choice.
Garett Bolles, Offensive Tackle, Utah (6-foot-5, 300 pounds)
The Chicago Bears went with a lineman in the second round of last year’s draft and got a great pick in Cody Whitehair. Why not go back there and get another one?
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Bolles is another one of those down-and-out people who came back. He was a problem child as a teenager, failing to take advantage of his athletic abilities. He spent two years after high school working as a garage door repairman. With the help of family and friends, he rededicated himself to religion and got his act together.
Bolles enrolled at Snow College, a Junior College program. He excelled there to the point of being named the number two JUCO prospect in the nation. Schools like Alabama, Florida Stat, and Ohio State recruited him. He decided to go to the Utes.
For a man his size, Bolles moves surprisingly well. Has the lateral agility, balance, and quickness to mirror oncoming rushers. He possesses amazing strength, and he can knock defenders off balance with his initial punch. Also, he can obliterate a defender when he latches onto him. He can get to the second level and the quickness to get to a third level if needed.
Whoever becomes the signal caller for the Bears in 2017 needs a tackle who protects his blindside. Bolles can be that person. Holles can gain more muscle weight in his body to be even better. His relative inexperience may turn scouts off, but once they see him they will be very impressed with his skill set.
Desmond King, Cornerback, Iowa (5-foot-11, 206 pounds)
King is one of the best athletes in this draft class. He is listed as a cornerback, but he may eventually play safety. He almost went pro last year, when he had 8 interceptions and was named the Jim Thorpe Award winner and a unanimous Consensus All-American. In his senior season, he “only’ had three interceptions, though he was named to the All Big Ten First Team for the second straight season.
King is a physical, athletic defender with a high motor. He has light feet and fluid hips; he is able to change direction with ease. As his 11 interceptions in the past two seasons can attest, he is a ball hawk.
King has the experience teams look for. He was a four-year starter at Iowa, playing in 94 percent of the defensive snaps. He also played on 46 percent of the special teams snaps, playing both punt and kick returner.
I watched the Senior Bowl practices last week and King impressed me. He covered everyone well and got a few picks. The more I saw him, the more I felt he’d be good in a Chicago Bears uniform.
The knock on King is his size. He is listed as 5-foot-11, but some think he is shorter. If he is, his stock will drop. It is amazing that an inch or so may negatively affect a player’s standing. With his size, he may be a slot cornerback, but with his abilities he could thrive there.
Many scouts also say that eventually they see King as a safety. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio loves moving his players around, so King would be perfect in his system.
Jordan Leggett, Tight End, Clemson (6-foot-5, 250 pounds)
The Chicago Bears had a pretty good tight end tandem with Zach Miller and Martellus Bennett. The Bears decided to re-sign Miller, and with Bennett’s troublesome antics, they shipped him off to New England (and a possible Super Bowl ring).
While Bennett helped his team get to the Super Bowl, Miller got injured…again. He was having a better season than he had in his breakout 2015 season, but he suffered an injury and missed six games.
Without a big, dependable target, the Bears suffered, especially in the red zone. Without that big guy in the red zone, the quarterback’s choices are limited.
Leggett gives the Bears a big, athletic tight end. He can also line up anywhere — on the line, in the slot, or even in the backfield as a fullback. He has great hands which allow him to snatch the ball and tuck it in. Over the last two seasons, he dropped just two passes.
Leggett also helps with his blocking. He is a confident run blocker who likes to mix it up with defenders.
Clemson had many stars on its championship team, and Leggett is perhaps one of the overlooked players. He certainly had quarterback DeShaun Watson’s confidence. Leggett had 38 percent of his receptions on third down, most of any down.
In other years, Leggett would be a higher prospect. This year’s class of tight ends is very good, however. With O.J. Howard, Jake Butt, Evan Engram, and Bucky Hodges, Leggett may go lower than he should. That could work to the Chicago Bears’ advantage.
Josh Jones, North Carolina State, S (6-foot-2, 215 pounds)
If the Chicago Bears draft Jones, they’ll get a player with a chip on his shoulder. He thought he’d get some All-ACC honors among the league’s coaches after recording 109 tackles and three interceptions, but received nothing. However, he did get honorable mention from the league’s media.
Jones has the size and speed to succeed in the NFL. He is fluid and has a pretty good football IQ. He diagnoses plays well and gets to the ball, recording eight career interceptions.
While Jones did not get a lot of attention around the nation, he was one of the integral pieces of a rising NC State defense. He was able to fly around and make the key stops when necessary.
Jones is a fearless tackler who can help against the run as well as against the pass. He uses good technique by wrapping up and bringing the ball carrier down. He doesn’t rely on hitting with his shoulder to knock the carrier down. Some ball carriers can bounce off shoulder hits and get more yards.
With the snub he felt he received, Jones will be a man on a mission. He is one to look for at the NFL Combine. He will work as hard as he can to show that he deserves to be considered among the top players. There is no measurement of heart, and a player with talent AND heart is a guy who will help any team that drafts him.
Stacy Coley, Miami, WR (6-foot-1, 195 pounds)
The Chicago Bears have a decision to make on Alshon Jeffery. They either let him leave through free agency or sign him to a long-term contract. Either way, they still have a need at wide receiver.
I believe the Bears will fortify the receivers corps through free agency. There are some good, young receivers available. They still need to get some depth help. Coley can help with that.
Coley had 63 catches for 754 yards and 9 touchdowns. He is a speedy receiver who can stretch the defense. He also has a good catch radius, helping him make some acrobatic catches. His speed helps him create separation. He usually comes through in big games.
Scouts commented about Coley’s love for the game. He appears to just coast sometimes, depending solely on his athletic ability. Maybe it’s that he makes things look easy, though.
Coley needs to work on his release from the line of scrimmage. He doesn’t have many moves to get off and big, physical cornerbacks give him trouble. Also, his route-running needs to improve. He rounds off too much, and good corners can jump his route and get interceptions.
Coley is better suited for the slot position. His speed attracts scouts, and he has the ability to make big plays. If he works on his route-running and not depend solely on his speed, he could make his mark in the NFL. In the meantime, he is a good player to add depth to a wide receiver corps.
Jake Elliott, Memphis, Kicker (5-foot-9, 166 pounds)
The Chicago Bears felt that Robbie Gould’s best days were behind him and that he made too much money. They ended up cutting him and replacing him with Connor Barth. Looking at the stats, both players ended up with similar stats, so either way, the Bears needed another choice.
Elliott is a four-time all-conference kicker. He became Memphis’ all-time leading scorer. He also set the school record for field goals beyond 50 yards. What is more impressive is the fact that the school had a certain All-Pro named Stephen Gostkowski.
For his career, he made 100 percent of his extra point attempts, and made 78 percent of his field goals. His 81 field goals rank 8th all-time in the NCAA.
I found it interesting that coach Fox tried to ice Elliott before halftime in the Senior Bowl. Elliott showed that it didn’t affect him, hitting the 37-yard field goal. Perhaps Fox and the Bears have their eye on Elliott?
Elliott is from the Chicago area (Lyons Township). He didn’t even play football until his junior year in high shool. “I was a big tennis player in high school. I was one of those kids that played every sport growing up and messed around playing football with my friends but never actually played organized [football],” Elliott said following Senior Bowl practice this week. “One of my buddies on the football team mentioned to the coach a couple weeks before my junior season started that I could kick. They were looking for a kicker and grabbed me off the tennis courts one day.”
Next: Chicago Bears 2017 free agency profiles: Wide receivers
Watching Robbie Gould and getting tips from Gostkowski certainly helps Eliott. I’d look for the Chicago Bears to draft him and have the hometown kid kick the ball through the uprights.